Full install for Stainless Steel 6.4, Meloo Fix, Steam compatible

[Heskey]

Whilst this compilation was sorely needed, and I thank Gigantus for creating it, I'd just like to highlight for anyone intending to play BGRV that BGRV is not compatible with Meloo's Bug Fix Compilation, and so this installation compilation cannot be used as a foundation for BGRV, as the bug fix compilation is installed as part of the process.

[Gigantus]

Added relevant note to opening post.

[Kane420 Team]

.

Introduction

When the mod got released back in 2010 (?) with it's insistence on using the kingdoms executable that was perfectly fine. Even when Steam came on the scene with a different installation path the mod coped.
And then Steam merged the kingdoms executable into the medieval2 executable and all bets were off. Eventually copying and renaming the medieval2 executable took care of that, but by that time there was already an additional patch out plus the fairly essential 'Meloo Fix' - making the installation a tedious affair.
This one piece installer takes care of all that.

None of the mod's game files have been altered\edited. All 'rights' are with the original author(s).

Installation

This is one of my 'click through' installations, some instructions follow underneath:

· As long as your registry is fine the installer will find the correct installation path. If not, simply follow the instruction displayed in the installer.

· At the end of the installation a file verification will take place, allow it to finish, check for error messages (see picture in spoiler), close it and finalize the installation.

· Also at the end will be a check if the kingdoms executable is present. If the file is absent then a renamed copy of the medieval2 executable will be created - the same principle as in my Steam Mod Fixer. The small BAT file will exit with one the these three messages:

wrong path - it means that Stainless Steel is not in the correct directory. This can only happen if the installation path was manually changed
success - the kingdoms executable has been created, the default for Steam users who do not use the Steam Mod Fix method
not needed - the default for disk users and Steam users you use the Steam Mod Fix method

· Steam users: no need to do anything extra - simply start the mod with it's desktop shortcuts once you have run the installer.

Spoiler for verification picture: 

Changes to original Installation

26 June 2020

- includes 6.3, 6.4 and Meloo Fix 1.27
- file verification after installation
- all small caps for easy MAC use
- automated Steam Mod Fix

Download

Torrent Download - click here
The original file is hosted by myself and the torrent file is hosted here at TWC, making it a totally safe download. Credit to Veteraan and Seether who were instrumental in seeding the torrent.

Mega.nz - thanks to Veteraan

click here

Google Drive - thanks to Lifthrasir

click here

Mediafire - thanks to Seether

click here

Note: unfortunately "Byg's Grim Reality" is not compatible with this repack as has been confirmed by Heskey.

Hi, can you please help me install this mod? I have a hard time with computers. Once I download it, I am confused on what to do next. My PC runs on Windows 7. Any help or advice would be awesome

[Kane420 Team]

Can you guys please help me download the Stainless mod? I am confused on what to do unfortunately. MY PC is windows 7.

[Gigantus]

Well, there are 4 links in the download section, one of them a torrent. Simply use those links? Mediafire is most likely the easiest to use if you aren't familiar with downloading things. Click link here, click link in the webpage that opens. Depending on your system set up you will then be prompted where on your machine to download the file. I would suggest the desktop for easy access unless you have a dedicated download folder already.

[Kane420 Team]

Thanks, but once it downloads, it pulls up that option to Extract, Test, etc. What does the Mediafire do to the download? I am not sure what to do once it downloads to my desktop. It will not open once it downloads saying "Use the web to find the appropriate program" . Sorry lol I'm just not good with this stuff. I had the GUAM mod a few years ago, but I download it again recently but cannot figure out how to make it work again as well. Thanks for trying to help

[Gigantus]

The google drive download is a compressed download (zip, rar or 7z extension instead of exe) if I remember correctly, and thus google gives you the option to test or unpack it. Ignore that and download, then uncompress (7Zip is freeware) it and run the exe file.

When you click the download button in the media fire tab you got linked to then a download will start either automatically or you will be asked where to download it - depending on your system's preference setting.
Once the file is downloaded you simply run it, either by double clicking or by right clicking and choosing the run command.
This will start the installer as seen in the first picture of the opening post.

At no stage of following the media fire link should you be asked to test or extract.

[icenii]

The Google Drive Link seems to be broken at least for me, Google states the File either does not exist or cannot be found and asks if i have used the correct URL ��. I'll try mediafire, mega.nz always tries to limit me too something like 300mb DL on other mods i've tried to DL from there.

[Gigantus]

Thanks for letting me know - I am following up with the author of the upload. Mediafire is available, just checked myself.

[Lifthrasir]

I'll do my best to correct the Google Link tonight (European time).

[Lifthrasir]

I have re-uploaded the file on Google Drive and have corrected the link in the 1st post accordingly. It should work again now. If not, drop me a PM

[Marku]

downloading now thank you!

[Nordlaender]

I have tried this on Windows 11 and it does not work as it is shown above for me.

There are no green windows that pop up and let you know if things are going well or not. All that happens is that a folder is created in the mods folder of the MTW2 Steam Definitive Edition called "ss6.3". It contains no executable file or any unpacked data files. There is no tool to unpack the ss6.3 files. In fact, it seemed to damage the Steam version and forced me to create a "kingdoms.exe" file in the main directory just to get the old vanilla version back up and running.

I have no idea what went wrong or how. I may have to go back and install SS 6.4 using the original rar files I downloaded long ago. That seemed to work.

If anyone has any ideas as to what went wrong, I would appreciate it very much if you could advise me. Thanks!

[Gigantus]

I have no idea what went wrong, a window should have popped up (the color of the border will most likely be different) regardless of where the mod was installed. Most likely an interference by an AV program?

Try installing the mod into a custom folder, like C:install. If that works (you will get the 'fail' version of the small DOS window) then simply move the SS6.3 folder into the game's 'mods' directory and update the desktop shortcuts. If that doesn't work then check your AV program's log and give the installer permission. I haven't had any feedback from Win11 users, nor am I one myself so I don't know if it is Win11 specific issue.

[Nordlaender]

Yeah, that's why I stated that I was running Windows 11. Umm... I thought that might be part of the problem, but I'm not sure. It's hard to even find the anti-virus program on this OS now. I believe I only have Windows Defender, but it did not produce a pop-up asking me if I wanted to let this program make changes to my computer. I did see that MTW2 and the Kingdom Mods are granted access.

Maybe if I turn it off entirely and then install? It seems you are saying that the end result should be a folder called "ss6.3" and that it should have a executable in it and also a desktop shortcut. I assume also that the data folder will be unpacked if I have unpacked the main MTW2 game's data files.

I'll try what you said and thanks for the advice. I appreciate it.

[Gigantus]

There is no need to unpack the main game's file. A mod will always read the packed files of the main game if it needs those files, eg when the mod does not provide them.
Stainless Steel has executable files in their directory - if you install into a custom directory those will then moved together with the rest of the SS6.3 folder. All you have to do then (after moving) is to update the desktop shortcut's properties - 'target' and 'start in' fields.

[Nordlaender]

"There is no need to unpack the main game's file. A mod will always read the packed files of the main game if it needs those files, eg when the mod does not provide them."

Ok, this part I understand.

"Stainless Steel has executable files in their directory -..."

This part I don't understand. There was no exe file for SS 6.3 anywhere, unless the original MTW2 exe file had been changed, but that did not launch Stainless Steel either. There were also no new desktop icons, which I thought was strange.

[Gigantus]

If you look in the SS6.3 directory you should see 2 executable files: ss_setup and ss_launcher. Normally you would see BAT files but someone had the knowledge to create executable files instead.
Should there be no executable files but everything else is there then I am guessing your AV removed them.

If you haven't deleted the old desktop shortcuts then their properties will have been over written, eg they will now point to the new installation. If the executable files are missing then the shortcuts cannot be created during installation.

[Nordlaender]

"Should there be no executable files but everything else is there then I am guessing your AV removed them."

It sounds like this is what happened. Not only were there no launcher files, there were no pack files inside the "packs" folder. It was empty.

I'm gonna try again and do it with Windows Defender turned off and see what happens, but I have to be careful because the last attempt somehow merged part of Stainless Steel with the Crusades DLC and they launched together with blacked out spots here and there. It was really weird. I had to uninstall everything and start from scratch. (At least I know that part works )

Thanks for helping me with this!

[Gigantus]

The 'packs' directory folders inside a mod will always be empty. Theoretically one could create them from the mod files themselves, but no one either bothers or knows how.